Investigate the river as a complete ecosystem and learn about its importance in the life of the Piedmont. Together, we will become a team of field biologists studying invertebrate life under the water. The search for indicator species will help us chart the health of the Eno River and inform our discussions on how humans impact river ecology.
River Watch is one of our most popular spring classes. It is a hands on science program where students experimentally learn about the water cycle, erosion, and various sources of pollution. Using their observational skills, students will search the river for insects and other aquatic life. They will learn to identify the creatures they find and they will discover how these creatures respond to pollution. Topics in this class include ecology, geography, and aquatic science.
The class includes:
- Hands on fun with our giant watershed model
- Collection and identification of the creatures we find in the river
- Analyzing the results of our search to determine the water quality of the river
If you choose this class, please encourage your students to bring old sneakers or other shoes they can get wet. We will have some water shoes available to distribute to students who don’t have their own.
This class meets the following North Carolina Curriculum Standards: Science - 4:1.01, 4:1.02, 4:1.03, 5:1.03; 5:1.06, 5:2.05, 5:2.06, 5:2.07, 5:3.01